#next #waterwalkinggirls
To some of you the cover picture may just look like an empty space, but to me it symbolizes the next part of a journey. To me it represents the faithfulness of God.
Those of you have been following our Water walkers blog for a while know that my family has had our house on the market since the beginning of August 2019. When we initially listed our house we were confident it would sell quickly. The story of all that transpired over that year is too long to tell in one blog post so for now suffice it to say it was a long season of waiting, testing, growing and being in perpetual limbo. We were always wondering what was next. The picture is of the storage unit that we filled with our belongings over the year our house was on the market and was taken this past Tuesday when we emptied out the space and moved into our new home. We began this journey last June during summer break from school. I took my time and went through one room at a time. I carefully decluttered by selling, giving away or throwing away items we no longer used and packed up items we would not need for the time being. I truly thought the process of selling our house would only be a few months so I ended up packing up items that it turned out we needed. Once on the market, we learned a new way of life. We began a life of keeping our house “show ready” so that we would be prepared for last minute or unexpected showings. At first this new lifestyle was exciting. Each showing was an opportunity for us to dream about what was next for us. However as we had showing after showing with no tangible offers to buy the excitement quickly faded away. This new “show ready lifestyle” began to be grueling and emotionally draining. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Our next seemed to be illusive. Yet while in the trenches of living “show ready” I stayed faithful to my daily time with God. I arose early enough each morning to spend time in prayer and devotion. Through this daily practice God continually renewed my strength. God always gave me what I needed to keep going and not give up. God’s daily faithfulness offered me the ability to not give up and to focus on Christ.
Scripture tells us: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What about you? Are you in a trial of waiting on what is next? It seems all of us are in a season of pause right now due to COVID 19. None of us know what to expect. None of us know what is next. We must stick together. We are not alone.
I like the Message version of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making a new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. The hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”
In the grand scheme of life, my time of house selling limbo and our time of COVID 19 uncertainty are small potatoes. The lessons I learned over the last year of our house on the market and the lessons we learn together during the pandemic will last forever. As we all wait for whatever next we are looking for let’s focus on Christ. Do not give up! Do not lose heart!
Listen to this song by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”. May it give you comfort, strength and courage as you wait on your next.
Water Walkers 